Slipping-proof kit drawer structure

ABSTRACT

A slipping-proof kit drawer structure includes a hollow chest which has an opening directing forwards and at least a pair of sliding tracks on two side walls to allow a drawer to straddle and slid thereon for drawing out and retracting. The inner wall of the chest and the outer side of the drawer are interposed by an elastic latch assembly to form an anchoring condition. Thus a latch function can be achieved to prevent the drawer from slipping out even in a tilted condition during moving of the chest.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a cabinet drawer and particularly to a latching structure to prevent drawers from slipping out caused by inclining during transportation.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Referring to FIG. 1, a conventional kit has a pair of handles 1 on two sides and two drawers 2 located inside in a up and down manner that can be drawn out and hold various metallic tools. As the tools are quite heavy, drawing or loading of the drawers 2 takes a lot of efforts, hence many kits have sliding tracks (not shown in the drawing) on the inner walls of two sides to hold the drawers 2 on the left side and right side in a straddle manner. While such a structure enables the drawers 2 to be drawn smoothly to fetch the tools, moving the kit to different working sites through the handles 1 often forms an inclined angle and results in automatic slipping out of the drawers 2. The tools in the drawers 2 could slide forwards and cause deviation of the gravity center. And the tools 2 could drop and hit users feet. To remedy this problem some kits have a lock 3 at the front side to lock the drawers 2 to prevent the drawers 2 from slipping out during transportation. Installation of the lock 3 involves additional moving mechanisms, and production cost is higher. Moreover, a mating key has to be provided to do locking and unlocking.

Operation is more complicated.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In view of the aforesaid problems occurred to the conventional kit drawers, the primary object of the present invention is to provide a slipping-proof kit drawer that includes a hollow chest with an opening directing forwards, at least a pair of sliding tracks on two opposing inner walls of the chest on the left side and right side to hold the drawer in a straddle manner so that the drawer can be drawn outwards and closed, and an elastic latch assembly located between an inner wall of the chest and an outer side of the drawer to perform latching and anchoring functions. The latch assembly includes a clipping member fastened to the inner wall of the chest and a latch member fastened to the outer side of the drawer. When the drawer is moved towards the chest, the latch member is inserted in the clipping member and latched. Thereby the drawer does not slip out even if it is tilted during moving of the chest. Such a latch function improves safety.

The foregoing, as well as additional objects, features and advantages of the invention will be more readily apparent from the following detailed description, which proceeds with reference to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a conventional kit.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the chest of the invention.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the drawer of the invention.

FIG. 4A is a schematic side view of an embodiment of the latch assembly of the invention.

FIG. 4B is a schematic view according to FIG. 4A in an operating condition.

FIG. 4C is a sectional view according to FIG. 4B.

FIG. 5A is a schematic plane view of a second embodiment of the latch assembly of the invention.

FIG. 5B is a schematic view according to FIG. 5A in an operating condition.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Please referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, the slipping-proof kit drawer structure according to the invention includes:

a rectangular chest 10 (such as a kit) which has a rectangular opening 11 on a front side, a pair of handles 12 on an outer surface of a left side wall and a right side wall, two pairs of sliding tracks 13 on an inner side of the two opposing side walls, and a vertical fastening plate 14 on an inner side of the left side and right side thereof;

two rectangular drawers 20 each has a face panel 21 on a front side and a straddle track 23 located respectively on a left side wall and a right side wall. The face panel 21 has a fastening surface 22 respectively on the left side and right side. The straddle track 23 is parallel with the side wall of the drawer 20 and straddles the sliding track 13 in a slidable manner of the chest 10; and

a latch assembly 30 (also referring to FIGS. 4A, 4B and 4C) which includes two pairs of clipping members 31 fastened to the fastening plates 14 on the left side and right side inside the chest 10, and a pair of latch members 32 installed on the fastening surface 22 of the drawer 20 face panel 21. The clipping member 31 has a rectangular and hollow box 311 which has an orifice 312 on the front side and a bar type latch claw 313 pivotally coupled on an inner side of a rear wall. The latch claw 313 has a strut type wedge portion 314 extended downwards from a front end as shown in FIG. 4C. The inner side of the rear wall of the box 311 is coupled with a rear end of a spring 315. The spring 315 has a front end coupling with an extensible latch 316 which is extendable through the orifice 312 of the box 311. The extensible latch 316 has a reverse-U shaped flute track 317 on an outer side with an opening directing outwards. The flute track 317 forms an irregular heart-shaped latch groove 318 on the bottom. The extensible latch 316 further has an elastic hook 319 on an inner side. The wedge portion 314 of the latch claw 313 is wedged in the latch groove 318 and slidable therein. The latch groove 318 has an indented detent portion 318 a corresponding to the latch claw 313, a concave brake portion 318 b in the center of the front side to anchor the latch claw 313, a wedge-shaped switch portion 318 c on the front side of the brake portion 318 b, and a channeling portion 318 d on one side of the detent portion 318 a to direct the latch claw 313 to the original position. Thereby when the extensible latch 316 is pushed by a user's hand, the wedge portion 314 of the latch claw 313 is moved along the latch groove 318 to the detent portion 318 a, the spring 315 is compressed. When the hand is released, the elastic force of the spring 315 pushes the wedge portion 314 to the brake portion 318 b to form an anchoring condition. When the extensible latch 316 is pushed again, the wedge-shaped switch portion 318 c directs the wedge portion 314 to the channeling potion 318 d. When the hand is released again, the latch claw 313 of the clipping member 31 is freed from harness and moved to the original position along the latch groove 318.

The latch member 32 further has a second hook 321 extended towards the rear side of the drawer 20 corresponding to the elastic hook 319 of the clipping member 31 to form a coupling and anchoring condition.

By means of the construction set forth above, when in use, push the drawer 20 into the chest 10, the latch member 32 on the face panel 21 of the drawer 20 inserts into the extensible latch 316 of the chest 10; the extendible latch 316 inserts into the box 311, the elastic hook 319 is retracted to engage with the second hook 321 of the latch member 32. When user's hand is released, the extensible latch 316 is moved along the latch groove 318 through the latch claw 313 to the brake portion 318 b and anchored. On the other hand, when unloading of the drawer 20 is desired, depress the face panel 21 of drawer 20, the wedge-shaped switch portion 318 c of the latch groove 318 located on the extensible latch 316 pushes the wedge portion 314 of the wedge claw 313 sideward, and the elastic force of the spring 315 moves the latch claw 313 to the original position; the extensible latch 316 extends outwards through the orifice 312 of the box 311; the elastic hook 319 on one side of the extensible latch 316 is released and disengaged with the second hook 321 of the latch member 32 on the panel 21 of drawer 20, thereby the drawer 20 can be moved outwards.

Therefore during moving of the chest 10 (such as kit), the drawer 20 does not slip out even if the chest 10 is tilted one side. And the tools held in the drawer 20 do not drop, and incidental hazards can be prevented.

Refer to FIGS. 5A and 5B for another embodiment of the latch assembly 30 of the invention. The latch assembly 30 a in this embodiment includes at least a clipping member 31 a and a latch member 32 a. The clipping member 31 a is fastened to the fastening plate 14 (not shown in the drawings) on the left side and right side of the chest 10. The clipping member 31 a has a rectangular and hollow box 311 a with two elastic clipping claws 312 a movable inward towards each other so that they may be squeezed and retracted in the box 311 a. The latch member 32 a is mounted onto the fastening surface 22 (not shown in the drawings) on an inner side of the face panel 21 of the drawer 20. The latch member 32 a has a head 321 a on the front end that has two sides extending outwards to be clipped by the clipping claws 312 a of the clipping member 31 a.

The latch assembly 30 a of the second embodiment functions like the latch assembly 30 in the previous embodiment. When the drawer 20 is pushed into the chest 10, the latch member 32 a moves towards the clipping member 31 a into the clipping claws 312 a and pushes the two clipping claws 312 a so that they are retracted into the box 311. The two clipping claws 312 a move towards each other to clip the latch member 32 a. As a result, the drawer 20 is latched without slipping out even if the drawer 20 is tilted during moving.

Prototypes of the invention have been made and tested satisfactorily. The object and functions previously discussed are fully accomplished. It offers a significant improvement over the conventional techniques.

While the preferred embodiments of the invention have been set forth for the purpose of disclosure, modifications of the disclosed embodiments of the invention as well as other embodiments thereof may occur to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, the appended claims are intended to cover all embodiments which do not depart from the spirit and scope of the invention. 

1. A slipping-proof kit drawer structure, comprising: a hollow chest which has an opening directing forwards and at least a pair of sliding tracks on a left side wall and a right side wall; a drawer which has a straddle track respectively on a left side and a right side to be coupled with the sliding tracks in a straddle manner and slidable thereon; and a latch assembly which includes a clipping member and a latch member; the clipping member being fastened to one side of a front end of the chest and having a box which has an orifice on a front side to allow an extensible latch to be elastically moved and retracted inside; the extensible latch having an elastic hook on one side that is retractable inwards and an indented and irregular latch groove surrounding on another side; the box having a rear end pivotally coupled with a strut-type latch claw which has a front end movable in the latch groove and wedging therein; wherein the latch member is located on a rear side of a face panel of the drawer and has a second hook directing towards the drawer and latchable by the elastic hook of the extensible latch.
 2. The slipping-proof kit drawer structure of claim 1, wherein the box of the clipping member is rectangular and hollow, a rear wall inside the box coupled with the extensible latch through a spring, the latch claw having a strut-type wedge portion on a front side, the latch groove being substantially formed in a heart shape and having an indented detent portion and a channeling portion on a front side, a wedge-shaped switch portion being disposed between the detent portion and the channeling portion, the latch groove further having a concave brake portion in a middle portion to nudge the extensible latch and anchor the wedge portion of the latch claw of the clipping member in the brake portion; the wedge portion being pushed by the switch portion and the elastic force of the spring to return the extensible latch to its original position.
 3. The slipping-proof kit drawer structure of claim 2, wherein the box has two elastic clipping claws on a front side that are movable inward towards each other and retracted in the box, and the latch member has a head on a front end that has two sides extending outwards latchable by the clipping claws. 